


A Father-Approved Suitor

by tansybells



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: And So Is Marianne, Background Holst/Lorenz, F/F, How Does No One Catch Them, Making Out, Post-Timeskip | War Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Secret Relationship, Surprise Surprise Both Gonerils Are Hella Gay, Teased Exhibitionism, Wingman Holst Goneril
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:34:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26002732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tansybells/pseuds/tansybells
Summary: When Margrave Edmund assumes that Marianne and Holst are romantically interested in each other, he invites the Goneril siblings over for a meal and a friendly chat. Marianne, however, takes advantage of the opportunity to spend time with Hilda, hervery best friend.One might even call Hilda hergirlfriend.Marianne certainly would.
Relationships: Marianne von Edmund/Hilda Valentine Goneril
Comments: 8
Kudos: 103





	A Father-Approved Suitor

Marianne drags her fork through the vegetables on her plate. The chef, thank goodness, has figured out that when her father invites a guest over for dinner, she eats even less than usual. Her anxiety is far better than it had been when she was younger, but even now there’s still something about having visitors that makes her stomach roll. As a result, there’s much less on her plate than there is on, say, the plate of the absolute  _ beast  _ of a man who sits across the table from her.

“So, Holst, how have things been going between you and my daughter?” her adoptive father asks politely, knife poised above his plate before he cuts into his steak.

Holst, the aforementioned beast, laughs, his deep rumble shaking the very ground beneath her feet. “It’s been going  _ great,  _ Margrave Edmund. We always have a good time together, don’t we?”

The cheeky wink he sends her way brings a bright blush to Marianne’s cheeks, and she immediately finds a renewed focus in arranging her legumes  _ just so. _

The Margrave continues, a chuckle barely contained. He’s obviously noticed the brief exchange between her and Holst. And, of course, he reads into it. “I must admit, it’s been a relief to have someone show interest in my sweet Marianne. Not many people understand how special she is, and it’s a comfort to know that someone else can see why I am so proud of her.”

“Marianne is the kindest, gentlest person I’ve ever met, Margrave,” Holst says. “Anyone would be better off for having known her.”

“You guys aren’t praising her enough!”

From her seat right beside Marianne, Holst’s sister pipes up, and Marianne’s blush only intensifies. Hilda slams her hand on the table, making all of their silverware rattle in their places.

“Marianne is literally the  _ best  _ person I’ve ever met, and anyone who doesn’t get that is an idiot!”

“You don’t have to go that far, Hilda,” Marianne mumbles, her eyes still downcast, her hand wandering dangerously close to the edge of Hilda’s seat. To her silent joy, Hilda’s hand meets hers there, and their fingers tangle together.

It hurts, having to put up this charade before her father. To continuously pretend that it was Holst with whom her heart and future belong, and not Hilda, sometimes she wonders if the façade is ever going to be worth it. But then, when Holst and Hilda sweep into the Edmund estate and she gets to see that bright, beautiful smile turned her way once again, she knows that there’s no question about it.

“Oh, of  _ course  _ I do! If Holst and your dad aren’t gonna step up and remind you how awesome you are, then who else is gonna do it?” Hilda sticks her tongue out at her brother across the table from her, and beneath the table, she squeezes Marianne’s hand.

Marianne smiles into her lap. Looking back up, she lets her smile fall onto Holst, who grins back.

He knows. He’s always known. From the moment he realized that Marianne couldn’t stand to look away from Hilda, even as they were supposed to be on a potentially romantic outing together, he’s known.

And, for whatever reason, he helps Hilda and Marianne get away with their subterfuge. He comes whenever invited, and under the guise of meeting up with her  _ dear friend,  _ Hilda obviously comes with him.

Honestly, it’s something of a miracle that the Margrave hasn’t said anything about the fact that Hilda has come to literally every single meeting that Holst and Marianne have had together. Yet as worried as that makes Marianne feel about the future and what it holds for Hilda and herself as a couple, she’s content enough with their current situation that she doesn’t want to stir the pot.

Almost as if he’s read her mind, the Margrave glances between Holst and Marianne with a brow raised in interest. “Well, it sounds that you two are getting along splendidly. Do you think that we might be hearing wedding bells in the near future?”

Holst smiles charmingly. “I don’t want to say anything to get your hopes up, Margrave, but I would be incredibly lucky to have Marianne as a wife.”

Marianne’s ears burn. She’d known to expect this conversation, but at the same time, it was very unsettling to actually hear it take place. Letting go of Hilda’s hand to take hold of her napkin, she presses it against her mouth for a brief moment before setting it down and standing up.

“I’m going to get some fresh air,” she says softly, achingly aware of the two men’s eyes resting on her.

“I’ll come with.” Hilda stands up beside her. “Let your dad and Holst have their  _ guy time  _ without us silly girls listening in on them.”

“Hilda,” Holst protests, his eyes wide like he was worried to be left alone with the Margrave, but Hilda merely grins wickedly and pulls Marianne close to her.

“Later, bro.”

With a little giggle, Marianne grabs hold of Hilda’s hand once more. “We’ll be back in a little bit,” she promises graciously. “Just a little fresh air.” Then Hilda tugs her away, and Marianne follows her hastily out of the dining room.

The door closes behind them.

Hilda doesn’t hesitate before swooping forward and catching Marianne up in her arms, leading Marianne to laugh happily.

“Hilda, Hilda, stop! They’ll hear you!” she sings, even as she wraps her arms around Hilda’s shoulders. It never fails to amaze her, how easily Hilda can sweep her off of her feet despite the difference in height between them. She  _ knows  _ that Hilda is immensely strong, but it’s easy to forget that when Hilda is so fond of acting helpless.

“What if I  _ want  _ them to hear me?” Hilda purrs against Marianne’s ear, making her heart flutter with a little thrill. “What if I  _ want  _ them to know that you’re putty in my hands, that you melt beneath my touch?” She kisses the side of Marianne’s face, and it’s only pure self-control that keeps Marianne from burying her face in her hands.

“Everyone thinks that I’m going to get married to your brother!” Marianne whispers giddily. “What will the servants think?”

“They’ll think exactly what they think every time we’ve been together,” Hilda confidently informs her. “That we’re just like,  _ super  _ good friends. And everyone knows I have my hands on you all the time anyway.”

With an indignant gasp, Marianne swats playfully at Hilda’s shoulder. Hilda sets Marianne back down on the ground and tugs her back towards a tapestry that hangs on one of the nearby walls.

“And besides,” she continues, “I can deck anyone who tries to tell your dad. Your raunchy little secret is safe with me, Miss von Edmund, I promise.”

Marianne opens her mouth, opens and closes it repeatedly as she tries to say something equally as cheeky. “I don’t think you’re raunchy,” she finally mumbles, looking away from Hilda as her cheeks are set ablaze. “I think you’re a beautiful woman, with a wonderful personality, and—”

“And the best girlfriend in the world,” Hilda concludes for her, moments before rising up on her toes to kiss Marianne deeply.

As she breaks away, Marianne smiles. “The best.”

“Same time next week?” Hilda asks, breathless, to which Marianne nods emphatically.

“Only if you can’t get here sooner,” Marianne whispers in reply. She glances down, trying to avoid the shining intensity of Hilda’s gaze, but doing so only puts her girlfriend’s considerable cleavage right in the center of her view. Immediately, she looks back up to Hilda’s pleased, knowing smirk. Trying to cover up her misplaced interest, she continues with, “I miss you, Hilda, all the time.”

“And  _ I _ miss  _ you _ .” Hilda brushes a tendril of hair behind Marianne’s ear, and Marianne leans into her touch. “It’s like there’s a hole in my chest, and nothing plugs it up until I get to see you smile again.”

In the distance, Marianne can hear her father loudly say, “It’s wonderful that they’re such good friends. Marianne has always needed a female friend like your sister.”

“It’s my pleasure to bring her along,” she hears Holst say. “I know Hilda always looks forward to it.”

Hilda giggles against Marianne’s neck as she leans in for one final, precious kiss. “It’s only because he knows I’ll cover for him whenever  _ his  _ boyfriend comes to call,” she says, and Marianne finds herself giggling in return.

“No, seriously! He has Lorenz coming over  _ sooooo _ often that our dad is like,  _ certain _ he’s about to propose.” Hilda rolls her eyes. “He’s not as insufferable as he used to be, but seriously? Me and Lorenz? Have you  _ seen  _ him? That’s like, as far away from my type as you can get.”

“The things we must do to be with each other,” Marianne sighs. “Aren’t we the lucky ones?”

And as Hilda grins and holds her hand out for Marianne to take, motioning for her to follow her back into the dining hall, Marianne knows she speaks the truth.

**Author's Note:**

> a silly little thing prompted by my father informing me that once the school year starts, he's going to start bringing over male students of his that he thinks i should date (￣□￣;)
> 
> [wow, can't wait to break the news to him](https://twitter.com/tansybells/status/1295895487770492931?s=20)
> 
> thank you to my lovely beta, [lily](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blooming_Spiderlily/pseuds/Blooming_Spiderlily) for suggesting i turn my horrified reaction into a cute fluffy fic. go check her out. she's literally the best. 
> 
> for more fun, relatable wlw content, follow me on twitter @tansybells
> 
> thanks for reading! have a lovely day ❤︎


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